WASHINGTON — The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women unanimously decided to choose Saudi Arabia to chair the 69th session of the commission during the year 2025. Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasel would be the first ever permanent representative of Saudi Arabia to chair this committee since its establishment in 1946. Al-Wasel took up his post as ambassador and permanent representative of Saudi Arabia to the UN headquarters in New York in July 2022 after serving as ambassador and permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva since November 2016. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a technical committee emanating from the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the principal organs of the United Nations. CSW has been described as the UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women across the world. The commission has provided a unique space for exchange of national experience and good practice and for bringing the voice of the women's movement to the United Nations. It is concerned with working to advance the status of women. The CSW meets annually to evaluate the progress achieved in this field, and sets standards and formulates policies in order to enhance the status of women around the world. Saudi Arabia's chairmanship of the committee comes as an affirmation of its interest in cooperation within the framework of the international community in everything that would enhance women's rights and empowerment. It is also in line with the qualitative achievements made by the Kingdom in this field, as Saudi women received the attention and care of the wise leadership and granted them the means of empowerment. The Saudi woman has become an active partner in the advancement and development of the nation, and has achieved qualitative successes in many fields. The Kingdom's Vision 2030 also included priorities and targets that focused on women's full participation at all levels and investing their energies in a manner consistent with their enormous capabilities
